New Principals Network 2023

Meika Pfeiffer-Gough is the Leadership and Teaching Excellence Manager at AISWA, part of the Curriculum and School Improvement Directorate. With 19 years of experience as a teacher and leader across diverse PK-12 educational settings, Meika is committed to promoting excellence in teaching and leadership. She highlights the importance of emotional intelligence and relational trust in building strong, respectful connections within school communities, recognizing these as essential for creating positive learning environments and inspiring growth. Passionate about leadership development, Meika works to empower confident, reflective leaders who drive collective success.

Prior to joining AISWA in 2017, Nigel was an officer with the Independent Education Union of WA for 18 years. 16 years of those as Assistant Secretary (Industrial Relations). 
During that time, Nigel focussed on developing strong professional working relationships with Employees, Employers and key sector participants. His key objective was to provide consistent, accurate and timely advice and advocacy.

Since joining AISWA Nigel has been responsible for providing advice and support to member schools on all things relating to Industrial Relations, Human Resource matters and Workplace Health and Safety.  He assesses and advises on ‘conflicting’ issues (e.g. industrial issues and staff welfare; duty of care and discrimination; behaviour management and discrimination; student welfare and rights as well as staff welfare and rights).

Nigel supports schools on any issue that may have legal implications. 

Over the past 40 years, Lynne has gained extensive experience in both education and small business ownership. Her teaching career in NSW and WA spans early childhood, primary, and lower secondary classrooms, as well as special needs education and music. She has also held school leadership roles, including Principal of an independent school in WA. In addition, Lynne has supported and mentored school leaders and assisted schools through the school registration process.

Since joining AISWA in 2017, Lynne has demonstrated her passion for supporting schools in the areas of special needs education and child protection. Her roles have included Inclusive Education Consultant and Coordinator, and she currently serves as a Child Protection Consultant.

In her current role, Lynne provides guidance and support to all AISWA schools in the areas of child safety and protection. She is the key contact for inquiries related to child abuse, including mandatory reporting, and delivers a variety of training programs focused on preventing and responding to child abuse, ensuring schools meet registration requirements.

After graduating with a Bachelor in Science (Chemistry) and a Diploma in Education Gary started teaching in 1979 as a science teacher at Norseman District High School. After teaching for 9 years in Department of Education schools in a range of subjects including Chemistry and Physics he moved to Albany, with his family, where for the next 20 years he taught at Bethel Christian School. He was Principal of the school for his last 8 years in Albany. From Albany Gary and his wife moved to Esperance to teach at Wongutha CAPS, a boarding school for Aboriginal students. Gary was offered and accepted a position at AISWA in 2007.

Gary’s first role at AISWA was to support the Aboriginal Independent Community Schools (AICS) as they took on older students as a consequence of the raising of the student leaving age. Gary then worked in the newly created Policy and Registration space for a few years before taking on the management of the AICS support team. Since 2013 Gary has been back as a consultant in the Registration and Compliance area where he works alongside Sarah Kennedy.

Kris has 30 years of experience in School and tertiary education, and education policy across a variety of roles. She has a deep understanding of State and National curriculum policy and the policy process, and best practice in curriculum leadership, and teaching learning. Since 2017 at AISWA, she has designed and led many effective education initiatives focused on improving teacher quality and facilitating student success. Kris currently represents the WA Independent school sector on the Department of Premier and Cabinet (and Ministerial) appointed School Curriculum and Standards Authority Curriculum and Assessment Committee. 

Between 2007-2014 Kris was A/Manager & Principal Consultant at the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, where she provided leadership and strategic policy advice for all WA schools. Kris has a Master of Education and has lectured widely in Pre-Service Teacher Education and Public Health.

Dr Nancy Bonfiglio-Pavisich is a Leadership Consultant.  With a focus on educational leadership, teaching and learning, change management, and school improvement, Nancy has worked with leaders and teachers to facilitate change in their respective schools. She has researched, designed, implemented, and evaluated system, school, and individual programs for teachers and leaders that include but are not limited to quality induction, mentoring, school improvement, and contextualised staff professional development. She has submitted her Ph.D. in Mentoring, has a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, and qualifications in Languages, Literacy and Numeracy, Business Management, and Religious Education. She is a Life and Group Styles Inventory and DISC Facilitator, a Sessional Tutor and Stategies and Partnership Consultant for the University of Notre Dame, and is also qualified as a Life Coach. With a passion for education, Nancy’s leadership and teaching and learning practices are underpinned by evidence-based research. She is a regular contributor to the ACEL Resources in Action series and has been the recipient of the New Voice Scholarship Award (2020) and has also been recognised by ACELWA with a Certificate of Excellence in Educational Leadership.

Ron is Deputy Director of AISWA. He has extensive experience in teaching and leading a diversity of schools in WA and Victoria.  Ron manages innovative programmes and university partnerships for AISWA. He is a member of the Global Educators Leaders Partnership and has been awarded Fellow of Australian Council of Educational Leadership (WA). Ron is also past-Chair of the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation, advocating for Australian authors and illustrators and working closely with the Australian Children’s Laureate.

Julie is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist who has worked with Non-Government schools in Western Australia for over thirty years. Julie is currently the lead of the AISWA School Psychology Service. She has a passion for sharing psychological knowledge to support schools in optimising the learning, development and wellbeing of students.  As part of the school psychology service, she works with children, parents, carers and teachers to help them understand issues students may experience. Julie is a current psychology board approved supervisor who has a passion for supporting the professional growth and development of psychologists.